papa French · revision 15887

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=c. 1256, Aldebrandin de Sienne}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pa.pa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''papa''' ''m'' (plural papas)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a word of children's speech, formed by repeating a syllable,^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) with counterparts in many languages: [[grc|πάππας|tr=páppas]], [[la|pappa]], [[ca|papa]] and [[es|papa]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) It answers to the children's word for the mother, [[maman]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The Grand Robert and Petit Robert instead derive it from [[la|pappus|t=grandfather]],^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) and the FEW files it under that word.^(FEW|7, 588b) Bloch and Wartburg note other widespread nursery types with voiced labials (bab-, ab-) and with dentals (at(t)a).^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

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+ Meyer-Lübke says that the French word spread from French into the other Romance languages as a genteel term.^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record, about 1256 in Aldebrandin of Siena's ''Régime du corps'', uses it of a child's word for its [[m|en|father]], beside ''maman''.^(TLFi)^(Tobler–Lommatzsch|7:141)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old French also had a word ''papa'' for the pap fed to small children.^(Godefroy 1881)^(Tobler–Lommatzsch|7:141) As “father” it was established by the 15th century (1461) and recorded by the Académie in 1694.^(TLFi)^(Académie 1694)

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+ From the 18th century it was used familiarly of a good-natured older man (1766, Collé; 1745 in a mock-epic);^(TLFi)^(BHVF) hence ''à la papa'' “quietly, without hurry” (1800).^(TLFi)^(BHVF) ''Papa gâteau'' “indulgent father” dates from 1854, ''fils à papa'' “rich man's spoilt son” from the early 20th century, and ''de papa'' “old-fashioned” (1959) spread after de Gaulle spoke of ''l'Algérie de papa''.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In African French it is a respectful term for an older man.^(DHLF 1992)^(BDLP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1256 – First record, in Aldebrandin of Siena.^(TLFi)

+ * 1461 – Used in a sottie.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – ''Grand papa'' “grandfather”.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1694 – Recorded by the Académie.^(Académie 1694)

+ * 1766 – Used of a good-natured older man.^(TLFi)

+ * 1800 – ''À la papa'' “quietly”.^(TLFi)^(BHVF)

+ * 1854 – ''Papa-gâteau'' in Augier.^(TLFi)

+ * 1959 – ''De papa'' “old-fashioned”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(childish, familiar)'' [[m|en|dad|alt=Dad]], [[m|en|daddy]]; father, used by children and by adults speaking of their father.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(familiar)'' A good-natured older man.^(TLFi)^(Larousse)

+ # ''Fils à papa'': a rich man's son who lives off his parents' wealth.^(TLFi)^(Larousse)

+ # ''À la papa'': quietly, without hurry or risk.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # ''De papa'': [[m|en|outdated]], old-fashioned: ''le cinéma de papa''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''(Africa)'' A respectful term for an older man.^(BDLP)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[barbe-à-papa]]

+ * [[grand-papa]]

+ * [[papa-gâteau]]

+ * [[papa poule]]

+ * [[fils à papa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[maman]]

+ * [[pape]]

+ * [[papi]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}